The Perfect Gift: French Braided Welcome Wreath

August 21, 2012

August is one of the year’s biggest moving seasons and chances are you have a dear friend settling into a new home right this minute, or some new neighbors who looking to make friends. So I asked Miranda of One Little Minute to come up with something lovely to make as a housewarming gift. Take a look at her adorable idea! — Gabrielle

Inspired by the french braid trend, I came up with this simple, french-braided fabric wreath and know it will make an easy, versatile housewarming gift. I chose to make it with bright gradient colors of fabric scraps, but I think it would look equally amazing in raw burlap or all white linen. Gorgeous! There are so many possibilities that you could use this technique to match any style.

After you make your wreath, feel free to download and print the free Welcome Home Tag to make your gift complete!

Decide what arrangement you’d like your fabric strips to be, and lay them out in order.

1. Lay the first two strips underneath the wreath form

2. Cross one strip over from left to right, then the other end from right to left

3. Cross the second strip from left to right, then both the first and second from right to left (just like a french braid). This last piece is now on the diagonal. You should have the three ends of your braid. Add a new strip flat beneath the form and match it up with the top two ends of the braid, leaving the diagonal strip free. Cross the new strip with the strips on top of it from left to right, then the other end of the new strip with all the strips on top of it from right to left.

4. Add a new strip flat beneath the form. repeat step three.

5. See the three ends of the braid?

6. Continue adding strips and braiding until the entire wreath form is covered.

To finish the wreath, wrap the final strip around the form twice, then secure with a square knot in the back. To keep all the strips in place, dot hot glue underneath them in a few places.

To add the tag: Download and print the free PDF onto kraft paper (or whatever type you want). Punch a hole where indicated.

Cut a 12-15″ piece of your choice of ribbon or lace and fold it in half. Thread the fold through the hole from back to front, forming a loop. Tuck the ends of the lace through the loop and gently tighten.

Tie onto your wreath with a knot or bow.

Ta da! You’re finished. Now you have the perfect housewarming gift to give to your best friend who just bought a new home, or the new neighbor you have yet to meet!

This is gorgeous, and I made one tonight. I had to make my strips longer to get it to work, though–I cut them 2×18″, although 14-16″ might work. My 11″ test strips were too short. The tutorial was a little difficult to follow but after some trial and error I made it work! Thank you, I think my friends will love it.

So gorgeous! I tried to do it, but I couldn’t it get it to look pretty like yours!

I got confused after step 2. (I printed the tutorial in black and white and it was hard to tell in the tutorial what colors were overlapping which strips.) I have 4-5 colors of fabric, which also makes it tougher because I’m trying to intersperse them.

If you have any tips (Tara, the poster above), I would appreciate them! I guess I’m not the best crafter! It is beautiful, though and I hope to figure it out!

Welcome

My name is Gabrielle Blair. I'm a designer and mother of six. After 2 1/2 years in France, we just bought a home in Oakland, California. We call it The Treehouse. I post on where design and motherhood intersect.

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